FluteLoop

WP

2011-01-14T17:07:00.001+02:00

I've jumped on the WordPress bandwagon, so now you can find me here: littlefluter.

need. good. sleep!

2011-01-09T11:19:00.003+02:00

I am a lover of all things sleep related. My bed, my pj's, pillows, and actual SLEEP. Lately I haven't been getting good Z's and it is due to being pregnant. Seems like the moment I decide to go to bed, have a nap, or try to relax some little person decides it is time to kick the crud out of me. Now I know this is not her fault, she can't help it that the hours between 10pm and 4am are not an opportune time for sleep, but man do I miss a full night's rest. And we still have 17 weeks left to go before she actually comes into the world and everyone's sleep is disrupted for a few months. And I am looking forward to it. Well...the coming into this world part, not the months of disrupted sleep part (and I don't know what to think about becoming someones personal vending machine!). So I just keep telling myself that eventually I will sleep again. And well! I'm not the first to have this experience and I certainly won't be the last. So now I am going to go try to take a nap!

2011 resolutions

2011-01-02T13:40:00.005+02:00

For a couple of weeks now I have been giving some thought as to what I'd like to consider easy and reasonable resolutions for 2011. Things that I should (in theory) be able to do without dropping the ball, so to speak. And so I am posting my list of resolutions here in cyberspace for the whole world to see.

1. Read my Bible more. Now I know I don't really go around advertising my faith, but I am a Christian- Evangelical Presbyterian (I do have it on Facebook I believe). Am I the best Christian? No. Am I a sinner? Absolutely. I would have no need for God if this were not the case. So as you can see there is obviously room for improvement, and I believe that studying my Bible more than I do now will be helpful. It certainly can't hurt :)

2. Keep in touch with family and friends better. I keep up with them OK, but again there is room for improvement in this area (esp. with a new family member on the way). And I don't just mean e-mail and Facebook. I plan to send snail mail on a more regular basis. Why? Because it is more personal and I feel that it is more meaningful than something quick and electronic. This also means a trip to English Tea Paperie for some new stationary! Of course I Skype with family but I don't feel that I do this enough either. So more Skype-ing(?)!!

3. Holiday/Birthday cards! This year I did a good job up until about September. I started getting sick and I don't mean from the pregnancy. I have battled the flu, infections, fevers, cruds, fell down some stairs...you name it. And so in the latter part of the year I simply left messages on Facebook, sent e-mails, and made the occasional phone call as I just did not feel like going out in this terrible weather to purchase any type of card. This year I will do better. Come rain, sleet, snow (and possibly the flu) I will send out cards!

4. At the end of this month, around the 20th, we are going to be moving into our new apartment. I sincerely want to get everything fixed and ready in said new apartment before the baby joins us the first week of May. Now this may sound easy but I am thinking it will be easier said than done. Hubby and I will both be working, we have a lot of things to do and buy, and I have absolutely NO energy after working with 2-3 year olds all day long. And I am fully aware of the fact that if I am not supervising and helping out then things will not be where and how "we" want them in the new place. :)

5. Blog more! Yeah, yeah, it has been said before but this year I mean to do it. But I am setting what I feel is a realistic goal. I won't be on here everyday. And I am sure that when little Annika graces the world with her presence this goal will fall by the wayside for a time. That said I want to post at least 1-2 times per week instead of maybe once a month. Things do happen around here and I just never seem to blog about them. I hope to change this.

6. Be a better wife and a good mom (when the time comes!). The hubby says that he has no complaints, that he thinks I am a great wife, but people can always make improvements in their lives. So this is going to be one of my main goals for this new year.

7. Eat better, cook more. My kitchen in the apartment where we currently live is TINY. When I cook I never get around to making what I consider to be a properly balanced meal because I there is just no room to prepare everything I want to fix. I have no workspace. None. You could place two 3-ringed binder in my "workspace". When you are really cooking that is just not enough room! The new apartment has a lovely, spacious, REAL kitchen and there is even room for the baby in there!! So I want to do more, better cooking this year. And since I am no longer eating for just myself healthier, home cooked meals are just what the doctor ordered!

This is me at 21 weeks. I am 22 weeks today. Although I am not worrying too much about the weight gain at the moment, there will come a point when I will need to watch what is going into "our" body. You see...um...I like junk. Ha ha! So healthier it is!!

I really hope that I can keep these resolutions, and for those of you that have also made resolutions and set goals I hope that you are able to keep and reach them as well!

happy new year!

2011-01-01T14:19:00.002+02:00

I want to wish family, friends, and the occasional few who drop by my blog a very Blessed and Happy New Year! God Bless!

dentist

2010-12-28T22:18:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment. I am so nervous. I absolutely HATE going to the dentist even though it is a necessary evil. After my first trip to the doctor about my pregnancy I was informed that I needed to make an appointment, and so I have been awaiting this dreaded day since August (why does it always take so long to get an appointment!). I don't even know where this dentist's office is and I am counting on the hubby to make sure I get there on time. Urgh...the things we have to do sometimes!!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:30:00.001+02:00

I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas this year! I will be spending mine with the hubby's parents. And in parting I leave you with one of my favorite Christmas songs from one of my favorite Christmas movies!

girl

2010-12-20T19:52:00.002+02:00

According to the midwife today baby Lilja is going to be a little girl. We're excited. Girls are hard to come by in my immediate McCaskill family. For example, I am the only female McCaskill in my immediate family not married in. So it is nice to be having a little girl. All of the grandparents are excited, and I finally posted things on facebook. Now it is just a waiting game. The expected due date is May 8th, but sometimes babies have other plans. Now if only she would sleep when I sleep. I am tired already and she isn't even here yet! :-)

lazy me

2010-12-18T22:07:00.002+02:00

I have felt pretty lazy this weekend but tomorrow I am going to try to get out and go see the newest Harry Potter movie with the hubby. We're just basically killing time until Monday morning. Monday morning is a big day for us. I'll be in my 20th week and we're having our second ultrasound. So is baby Lilja going to be a boy or girl? The hubby thinks girl. We'll just have to wait for Monday morning to know for sure. :-)

4 years

2010-12-13T07:34:00.002+02:00

Yesterday was mine and my husband's 4 year anniversary! I can't believe it has been 4 years already. We have both been sick recently so it was nice that we were feeling up to going out for dinner yesterday evening. The hubby also pointed out that this coming June (2011) is also an anniversary of sorts for us. It will be 10 years since we first met. I thought it was sweet that he remembered that because it had completely slipped my mind. Ah, to be 18 again...

And my dear ole' Dad had a birthday yesterday as well. So there were celebrations and phone calls all around. All in all, it was a really nice weekend but it certainly was not long enough. I think that the weekends could use as least 2 more days!

survivor

2010-12-10T12:58:00.005+02:00

I managed to sleepwalk through an entire week this week without making a trip to the doctor. Thankfully, I am beginning to see some improvement with this cough/cold/flu/infection/crud/ whatever the doctor wants to label it. It has taken 6 weeks but we are starting to get somewhere now. I am finally starting to feel like I am going to survive this thing. And Kai is happy too. He doesn't want me to be sick and he also doesn't want me to continue getting him sick. He has cut me a lot of slack since all of this started and I am grateful, but I am glad that I can get back to a normal routine. At least until we make our move (I am so excited!)!!

On a whiter note, we have gotten TONS of snow here and it hasn't let up since it started in November. I plan to brave the cold when I am back up to par for good and take some decent pictures, but for now this is it. It is lovely outside. And I am so glad that I use public transportation. I was sort of missing driving last week, but then as I watched people digging their cars out of 3-5 feet of snow I didn't miss it so much anymore. The good, the bad, and the white stuff!

gifts

2010-12-05T20:21:00.002+02:00

I ordered all of my US Christmas gifts for family online on Black Friday and got some pretty good deals. And now I know that they have all arrived at there next to final destinations and are going under the Christmas tree. I really hope that my family enjoys them. Sad I cannot be home for Christmas this year, but no one feels that I need to be traveling. Especially since I am currently still sick with whatever I can't take meds for that I have had for a MONTH now. I took some penicillin a couple of weeks ago for this crud and it didn't help, and now the doctor won't give me anymore. Ah, the upsides and downsides to pregnancy. To be honest I think I could deal with all of the snot if this cough would just go away. The cough is what keeps me up at night and makes everything ache. :( But cannot let this crud get in the way of my Finnish Christmas shopping. I would do all of it online but I don't understand everything, lol. My Finnish is improving but it isn't that good yet!

very thankful

2010-11-27T07:58:00.002+02:00

Kai and I had a nice little Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. It isn't a holiday celebrated here for obvious reasons, but Kai likes to celebrate American holidays with me (esp. ones involving awesome food)! This year we have been blessed and I have so much to be thankful for. I've had my työharjoitelu at the päiväkoti, Kai has a good job, we're getting a huge new apartment in January and we'll be adding a new addition to the McCaskill/Lilja family in May. So many new and exciting things going on. And I am always thankful for my amazing family and friends.

we have snow!

2010-11-18T13:15:00.001+02:00

I don't think it is going to last long though. And I got soaked going to class today because it was unexpected, but it sure is pretty. I think I can wait a little while longer for the really good fluffy stuff though.

out of work...

2010-11-14T11:52:00.002+02:00

and I hate it. I really don't want to be stuck at home and the only thing that makes it not quite as bad is the fact that I have plenty of books to read. This week I am stuck here because I fell down the stairs leading to the sauna and banged myself up pretty good. Of course there is another reason he wouldn't let me go back as well, but it is best not to mention that one. *sigh* And since the hubby and I will be moving in March so we need the money.

Stacy = Clutz

Somethings just never change!

Random

2010-10-30T13:10:00.002+03:00

I haven't blogged in forever, so I thought why not share the fact that I really, really, really want some wontons right now. Problem is I don't know where I can find them.

I'm going to see my in-laws tomorrow when my hubby gets off work.

I work at a daycare 3 days a week and then have class 2 days.

My husband is wonderful! I haven't cooked in 3 months and he has been lovely and taken care of me. Today I will be baking some cookies though.

I really need to buy some rubber boots. Preferably some colorful Nokia ones. Yes, Nokia as in the same Finnish company that makes the cell phones. They made rubber boots first.

Winning the lottery would be nice.

We are looking to move into a new apartment in March of next year.

My dad and his girlfriend are looking into coming to Helsinki for the first time in May (2011).

I have a new pink Nokia cell phone. It has a lot of bells and whistles. I hope I don't break it. Took me 2 hours to find the language tool to change the language to English, but I did (myself).

I am really looking forward to May! :)

Mayo Clinic atrium piano, charming older couple...

2010-10-17T13:52:00.000+03:00

These two are just adorable!

Smell Like A Monster Sesame Street Spoofs The Old Spice Guy

2010-10-10T16:36:00.000+03:00

I Love Sesame Street! Grover is too cute in his 'Old Spice' spoof for the word on!

Raymond

2010-09-27T22:25:00.000+03:00

I know he is a bit creepy, but I love this video! And that poor cheese looks so frightened!

where did the fall weather go?

2010-09-25T20:45:00.003+03:00

It looks like Autumn outside with the leaves turning lovely shades of yellow, red, and burnt orange, but what is up with the weather? I am already wearing a thin jacket under my coat and it is just the end of September! I believe that in 2 weeks I will have to break out my Winter clothes. To me this is a huge disappointment because I love Fall weather, but this wind out there will cut right through you!! *sigh* I suppose I will take what I can get and be glad of it.

who wants to be sick?

2010-09-12T10:25:00.002+03:00

We don't! There has been the flu and other manner of sicknesses going around the daycare I am at, and I was lucky enough to be one of the workers that got sick. I went to the doctor on Thursday and he gave me meds and a 'sick leave vacation'. I don't have to go back until Wednesday of this coming week. Of course I am all for sharing, and now poor Kai is sick too. And this is his last week of Summer vacation! Poor guy. I feel awful for having shared my germs with him. Let's hope this epidemic has played itself out by the time I return to work!! As it stands now we are single-handedly keeping the Kleenex people in business!

copped a feel?

2010-08-11T21:44:00.002+03:00

As you know I am back at the päiväkoti where I had my työharjoitelu (internship) working on an extension. Yesterday I was helping a little boy (3 yrs. old) get into his outdoor clothes to play in the yard when he just reaches right into my shirt, grabs a handful and squeezes! Then he asks, "what is this? It's a fly?". As I was laughing too hard to explain to him what was what, one of the girls that work there explained that no, it was a boob. He thought about that for a minute and then announced that he has boobs. There again she had to explain to the poor dear that he didn't have boobs and of course he wanted to know why. The short and simple answer was: girls = boobs, boys = no boobs!

Stockholm

2010-07-27T19:22:00.004+03:00

Here are just a few of the pictures that I took while in Stockholm over the weekend. The majority of them are on my Facebook page, but I thought I would post just a few of them here as well. Seems like I never post many pictures nowadays. Enjoy!

Helsinki at a distance from the harbor.

Statue behind the House of Nobility.

Lopsided picture of the King's palace.

Front of the House of Nobility.

Parliament

Behind the House of Nobility. I was really struck by this particular building.

Another side of the Parliament building. It sits next to the King's Palace.

olen kotona

2010-07-25T19:55:00.003+03:00

Olen kotona: I am at home. Got back from Stockholm earlier today. Finished a book, took a little nap, now trying to get caught up on the computer. Have some pictures. Will post them later. Probably tomorrow. We had fun. Did shopping at H&M in Stockholm and it was the best. The ones there are so much better than the ones in the U.S. Even bought a pair of crocs on sale. Wouldn't have ever bought them but I need something to wear inside at the daycare and they seem to be the shoe of choice. Anything that is quick and readily available. I work with 2 years olds so I have to be ready at a moments notice. Bought some things on the boat to and from Stockholm. Gotta love tax-free shopping. We even enjoyed the bars and club on the boat. How so not Kai and Stacy but it was fun. No getting drunk for us though - the goal was to be not hungover so that we could be good tourists. It was so much fun. I now want to go back really bad. It was quite a cheap trip (and so nice). The entire thing cost us about what 1 ticket to the U.S. would cost and that included our cruise tickets, shopping, food, etc. Not a bad weekend at all I would say!!

ruotsi

2010-07-21T13:12:00.002+03:00

Or in English: Sweden! That is where Kai is taking me this weekend. I can't wait to get on that boat Friday!!! I've been here for 3 years now and have been wanting to go to Stockholm from day one. Since we aren't going to be able to take the vacation that we hoped for, we are just going to visit the Swedes for the weekend! Now lets hope that I remember my camera!

read much?

2010-07-03T13:27:00.003+03:00

Remember when I mentioned splurging on books? Well, this is a 'few' of the ones I ordered. Not all of them are in yet. And my hubby wonders why I am boring! At least I go out and enjoy them in the lovely Finnish Summer weather!

And the fact that I didn't pay tax or shipping and handling makes it that much better! 60 euros worth of books. When you buy a book in English here from the bookstore it is usually 10 euros for just 1. Play.com makes things too easy for me. That can't be good!

my boring life

2010-06-26T23:28:00.002+03:00

The hubby pointed out that my blog is boring and that it is not updated enough, so I suppose that this week I will try to remedy this oversight on my part. Fact: I really don't go out and do a whole lot. I read a lot. If he wanted me to update you on everything I did I am sure my blog would simply be a book review. But I am going to try to do better. For his sake. Thanks, dear.

I suppose that the hubby's sister getting married in Hong Kong this past Thursday is exciting news. At least for us. Especially for him, he sorta has a "man" crush on his new bil! Congrats you crazy (older than me) kids!

splurge, splurging, splurged

2010-06-22T01:50:00.002+03:00

I really like that word, splurge. Not the point though. A while ago the hubby and I were introduced to the website play.com by my bil. It is based out of the UK and makes buying books way too easy for me. They get delivered right to my door for free. That's right there is no shipping. Also most books I buy are something like 3.99 euros. Therefore I do not feel guilty when I purchase things from the site, although I usually do it in moderation. No more than 1 or 2 books at a time in a 2-3 week period. Until today that is. I just spent 40.94 euros on this FABULOUS website. I have money in the bank to cover my purchases, no worries there, but I feel sort of guilty for spending so much money at once. Of course my hubby spends WAY more money on Play than I do, but that is no excuse. Ha, my life sounds so difficult doesn't it!?

la, la, la

2010-06-21T01:21:00.003+03:00

OK. So over here on my side of the pond it is 1:22 in the a.m. Why am I up at this time? The answer is simple, my hubby is working night shift for the next 4 days. And somehow I always end up on his schedule. During the Summer I don't mind so much. The rest of the year I find it intolerable! Why I am sharing this random bit of information with the internet at this particular moment in time? That is a simple answer too, I don't have anything else to do. Of course there is always sleep, but I am not tired. Urg.

last day

2010-06-13T20:28:00.003+03:00

Can't believe that my työelämä is finally coming to a close. Tomorrow is the last day. No more 'courses' for me through the TE-toimisto. Although I do have the option to continue my internship (työharjoittelu) which I have already turned in the paperwork for. It was so much fun and since I haven't found a job myself this gives me the opportunity to keep studying the language on my own terms. And there is no better way to study than by working with my adorable kiddies. I hope it won't take too long to get a response back from my application. It's difficult to make plans when I don't know what kind of schedule I am going to have.

Yummy Yummy!

2010-05-29T14:16:00.002+03:00

Sometimes a girl just needs to pamper herself a little, so I decided to spend 40 euros as The Body Shop on myself! I love all things strawberry - candles, lotions, body wash...you name it I love it. And indeed that is what I bought myself. Now I can walk around smelling like my fave fruit. Not to mention that it puts me in the mood for Summer. I love a good Finnish Summer...if only the rain would go away!!

Also, Happy Memorial Day weekend to all of our hardworking Service men and women who risk (and have risked) their lives to keep us safe and cozy at home!

Almost outta there!

2010-05-26T19:51:00.003+03:00

So...today is Wednesday which means that the work week is halfway through. Big sigh of relief! I had an early day today (went in at 7:30, left at 2:30), but tomorrow is going to be a long one. Probably won't get home until about 6:30 in the evening. Why is that? Because the kiddies at the päiväkoti are having their Kevätjuhlat (spring party) which is the exact translation, but in actuality it is a program. They kiddos will be singing, dancing, and reciting poems for their parents. And yours truly will be accompanying them with Chip (my flute) for 2 of their songs. And after tomorrow it is all downhill from there. Next week is my last week with these amazing, lovely, too smart for their own good Finnish children. I am going to miss them when I leave. Of course after I am through with my työharjoittelu (internship) I will still have 10 more days left to sit in the classroom and listen to either Simo or Aulikki talk. I hope we don't have any of the other teachers as I cannot understand them when they speak. Also, Simo will be coming to speak with my and Jaana (my pomo - boss) on Monday to check on my progress. Of course only good things will be said according to the woman in charge. She seems to like having me there as much as I enjoy being there. I do feel like I have gained a lot from this experience. I am speaking more. There is no way around it since only 2 of the children (they have at least 1 English speaking parent) can understand my English. But that was the whole point of this exercise wasn't it? To improve my Finnish speaking skills. I am really looking forward to tomorrow being over with (I won't get off until at least 5:30), but I am hoping that next week doesn't fly by too quickly. Cause then I really will be outta there!!!

...

2010-05-24T22:03:00.001+03:00

Looking forward to actually making a decent post. Hopefully I will get around to it sometime this week.

I'm so lazy!

2010-05-14T23:44:00.002+03:00

I've been slack the past 2 weeks because I have simply been too tired to blog. Working with the kiddos is energy draining work, and the I have the hubby to take care of when I come home!! I just haven't been able to collect my thoughts, but this weekend I will post and update. Or if I'm feeling froggy I might even post 2!

All 50 States

2010-05-02T12:02:00.002+03:00

I named 50 US states in 10 minutes

I actually managed to do this in 6 minutes. Not that 6 minutes is something to brag about, but its been awhile since I've even thought about all 50 states. Not to mention some of them are just spelled strangely. Anyway, it was fun and something to pass the time. It's easy cheesy if you remember the "50 Nifty United States" song that is taught to most elementary/middle school children! At least it was when I was coming up through school! Why don't you try your luck!!

1 week down!

2010-04-30T20:56:00.002+03:00

I have successfully finished the first week of my työharjoittelu (internship). It was exhausting but I have fallen in love with all 9 of the kiddies that I am working with. They are too cute. And somehow they understand me when I speak. Of course I speak on their level, but I still think I deserve brownie pts. for being understandable to children!! I definitely need to take pictures of these little munchkins and post them. I'm taking my flute, as per request, to the päiväkoti on Monday to play for them during their music time. I think it is going to be really fun. They LOVE music and dance anytime someone sings, hums, whistles, or plays a cd. They really are awesome and I get to spend 5 more weeks with them.

Työharjoittelu

2010-04-25T20:04:00.002+03:00

Tomorrow I begin my työharjoittelu (internship) at Päiväkoti Virkkula (Daycare/Playschool Virkkula). I will be with eight children, the youngest being 1.5 years and the oldest being 3.5 years. This is somehow supposed to help me speak the language better and give me experience working here in Finland. I REALLY hope that things go well. The guy that I will be working with speaks some English, and he says that he understands everything I say but doesn't speak very well. Of course that is more than I can say for myself, not only do I speak poorly, I also do not understand everything that I hear. I'm sure I will learn something valuable from this experience and I am halfway looking forward to it. I'm sure I will be posting plenty of updates since this is what I will be doing until June 4th!! That's right, six whole weeks of being immersed in children's Finnish! Good luck me!

Watch out for that bird!!

2010-04-23T11:45:00.004+03:00

I have to walk about half a mile to my class every morning. I walk through a park that is between the baltic and some apartments. This morning I was making my trek to class when some birds flew out of a bush, and one of them flew right into my chest. I was more than a little surprised and it took me a minute to get over the shock of what had happened. I mean it's not everyday that a bird flies right into a person. The little bird (it looked a bit like a sparrow) did not get hurt. It fell to the ground, stood there for a minute (probably trying to get over its shock), then hopped off back to the bush. So from now on I am going to be on the lookout for rogue birds!

Confessions

2010-03-21T16:20:00.002+02:00

One of the blogs that I read pretty often, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, is absolutely, positively fabulous. If you haven't checked it out then you must head there right now and not leave until you've read every inch of this site! OK...maybe that is pushing things a bit, but you should definitely check it out. The Blogger is a woman by the name of Ree Drummond who went from being a city girl to a complete country gal. She wrote about her MAJOR life changes on her blog and entitled it Black Heels to Tractor Wheels (must read!), which is (eventually going to be published) now going to be made into a movie. Saying that I am excited about this would be the understatement of the day, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that Reese Witherspoon will indeed want to be tied to this project. Of course it won't be out for quite a while, but I was just too excited not to share the news. Which now that I think about it I hope that I am allowed to share. She has it on her blog of course, but then again it is all about her isn't it. I am just an overly excited fan!! Go check out her site and experience the fabulousness that is Ree!!

Oh yeah, buy her cookbook too! It is on my 'I'll get around to it real soon' list!! There is only so much stress I can put my husband's credit card under! :-)

Wear Your Green!

2010-03-17T14:44:00.004+02:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day World!

Finnish Blueberry Pie

2010-03-09T21:02:00.003+02:00

Or as they call it in Finnish (Suomi): Mustikkapiirakkaa.

Yep. I know it is a big word with a lot of double letters and they pronounce every single one of them. It is true!! Anyway, a month ago we visited with the hubby's parents and his little sister made a blueberry pie for us. It was REALLY simple, and REALLY good! So I asked for the recipe and it is the easiest pie I have ever made. So I thought I would share the recipe. I haven't converted the measurements from the metric system, but it isn't hard to do.

Finnish Blueberry Pie:

1. 150g butter
1 1/2 dl sugar

Mix them together.

2. Add one egg and mix.

3. Add:
3 dl Flour (1 dl = 100 ml)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cardamom (kardemumma)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar)

Mix all of these ingredients together and put into a pie pan. Spread evenly around.

Add 300 grams of blueberries (fresh or frozen) to the center of the pie. Bake pie for 30 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (around 392 degrees F.).

It is simple to make and so yummy. Enjoy!

Post It Note Tuesday: True Story

2010-03-09T17:56:00.003+02:00

This is my first attempt at Post It Note Tuesday. Hopefully I will get better!!

Cheers!

Estee Lauder Love

2010-03-04T16:00:00.005+02:00

During the Christmas holiday while I was at home in NC I went on a little shopping spree. A lovely friend of mine took me out and gifted me with some new Estee Lauder goodies. I have to tell you that I am absolutely sold on the products and don't think I will be switching up anytime soon. Of course they are a bit pricey, but well worth it.

Not that I have wrinkles (yet), but there is nothing wrong with going on the offensive. The Advanced repair PM eye cream is quite nice as well.

The DayWear Plus cream is absolutely lovely. You use it along with the repair serum after you've cleaned you face. It leaves you feeling silky smooth and the light/clean scent that it has makes you feel fresh.

The Advanced Night Repair serum also leaves you feeling smooth and soft as well. Combined with the cream you will feel like you have a brand new face.

Love my Perfectly Clean Cleanser and Toner. It leaves me feeling completely clean and doesn't leave a trace of makeup or residue behind. It's fabulous!

I'm not really a review person, unless it is something musical, so I am not a great wordsmith but I thought I would share these lovelies with you. I use them daily and recommend them if you have the moolah to buy them.

Cheers!

New Do and a Pesky Webcam

2010-02-25T20:04:00.003+02:00

My new toy came with a handy dandy webcam. As you can see from the pictures below I am not very adept at using it. I went and had my hair chopped off today and decided to use the webcam to take pictures of it. I never seem to remember to take before pictures, but here are the afters. The before was my hair about an inch and a half below my shoulders. I must also add that my hair looked a lot better after she did it, but I had to wear a hat when I went to the store and back home again, so it doesn't have as much body and bounce as it did when I left the salon.

Here I am not even remotely looking at the camera. I am sure I didn't think that it was in the opposite direction, but there ya go. And I seem to be at an angle. Take #1.

Here I am looking at the camera but my eyes look off. I take horrible pictures. Something in them always looks fake. It is either the smile, the eyes or both.

And this was the last attempt at trying to take a good picture. At least I don't have one shoulder hiked up above the other. Something still feels a bit off to me though...

Anyway, that is the new hair, or what was left of it when I finally made it home almost 2 hours later!! :-)

The Newbie

2010-02-24T14:10:00.002+02:00

This is my new baby. Second in my heart only to my flute.

New Toy!

2010-02-23T19:31:00.002+02:00

Kai bought me a mini-laptop for Valentine's Day and I love it! I will have to post pics later since I now have camera batteries! :-) Apparently, having this new toy will allow Kai to play his games more on the desktop. Oh and he also can watch his shows whenever I just want to play online. Not that I am complaining, the little bugger really has been coming in handy. He REALLY likes playing his games!! Somehow I think this was just as much a gift for him as it was for me!!

Stacy vs. Patch of Ice

2010-02-12T22:48:00.002+02:00

Needless to say the ice won the battle and I have been sore for 2 days now!! You don't mess with Mother Nature! Nope. Not one little bit. I have the bruises to prove it, however I will not be posting them as they are not in appropriate places. To top things off, Kai was with me because we were going to the movies to see Sherlock Holmes (which you must see if you haven't already) and he didn't even notice that I fell. He decided to turn around when he realized I'd gone quiet. To give him credit he did laugh, help me up, and brush me off. In that order! On a related note, we will not be getting more snow until next week. Ah...Finland!

Snow...

2010-02-04T11:23:00.001+02:00

and plenty of it!

Sorry kids! You need to wait a few months before you can play on the toys again.

2010-02-03T15:33:00.001+02:00

It has been a harsh week thus far. Next week can't come soon enough...

Batteries? Are you there?

2010-01-22T13:47:00.001+02:00

I really would like to upload the pictures I took while I was at home this Christmas, and some that are on my other memory card. I really would. I just can't find my brand new pack of AA batteries!! I still have a couple of places left to look for them, and I really don't want to have to buy a new pack but this is ridiculous! My apartment is not that big! Oh well, I promise that there will be pictures up here eventually!!

Today of all days...

2010-01-18T12:51:00.002+02:00

I tell ya, I just feel like crud today! I haven't been feeling it since I rolled out of my nice, soft, warm bed. The reason why this is such disheartening news? I start my Finnish 2 class this evening at 6:15 and I just don't like to venture out into the snowy wilderness in the dark when I feel poorly. It isn't nerves because I am excited about my class. I have the same teacher and I like her a lot. So maybe I will just bundle up all nice and cozy and make my way there later on today.

On a more annoying note, I cannot find my AA batteries. I just realized that the ones in my camera are dead, and I can't upload any pictures until I find the pesky little buggers! I just bought them so they must be around here somewhere!!!

Lol, and today isn't all bad though. I am alive!!

Sauna

2010-01-15T17:49:00.001+02:00

I know it is not a big deal for anyone else, but I have really missed having my sauna every Friday. Well today is my first sauna day back and I am excited! I can't wait to feel thoroughly clean!

Christmas

2010-01-13T06:36:00.002+02:00

I thoroughly enjoyed being back at home for Christmas this year. It was nice to be surrounded by family and friends. I was even home for the birth of my best friends second child. His birthday is the same as my Grandma's!! Something tells me I won't be forgetting that one. I even had the chance to spend some time with Chloe, Joe, and Emma. I was so afraid I was going to miss them while they were down in NC. I'm glad things worked out so that we were able to meet up.

I even had a few posts written out over the holidays, but to my dismay the computers I was using would not let me get onto blogger, and then they finally crashed! Both of them!!! I know that Dad really wants his laptop back up and running.

While I was away the scores from my Finnish final exam came in the mail. Can you believe I had to actually TELL my husband to open it and read it to me? I did really well and passed the course. I received top marks and an excellent. I am now enrolled in the second course and will begin class on Monday! I hope I can do as well this time around.

Hm...more updates to come soon. Pictures as well. I think I might go back to bed for a bit. Not quite back on Finnish time quite yet!! Urg...

Cheers!

Happy Anniversary!!!

2009-12-12T13:32:00.001+02:00

Married for 3 very happy years today!!!

Also, Happy Birthday Dad!! See you tomorrow!!

Almost Home...

2009-12-10T13:00:00.003+02:00

Well not quite. I don't actually leave until Sunday at 8 in the morning. I am really excited about spending Christmas with my family...it has been 3 years so it is about time. I am sad about having to leave Kai at home though. He has to work Christmas and New Years, so he doesn't get to experience a McCaskill Christmas. I also have some serious Christmas shopping to do when I touch down in the continental U.S. I haven't managed to buy a single thing for anyone as of yet. I plan to keep my page updated through the holidays and take loads of pictures, but the pics may have to wait to January to be posted. Unless of course I can borrow the laptop. Easier said than done!! Lol, and I suppose this year I will make a New Year's resolution. Two actually, but one of them I am keeping to myself. My NYR will definitely be to be a better blogger. We'll just have to wait and see how that turns out, everyone knows I am a procrastinator and the world's worst slacker at times. Enough of my drivel...it's time to go exchange some currency!!!

Cheers!!

Blah...

2009-12-01T23:03:00.002+02:00

is a very accurate description of how I am feeling. I feel like crud. For all I know I have the crud. I would get sick the day before my Finnish final, 11 days before my anniversary, and 12 days before I fly home for Christmas!!! The hubby doesn't even want me to leave the apt. tomorrow if I still have a fever and feel bad tomorrow, but I need to go take my final. So whether I'm feeling it or not I am going to pile on all the clothes I can, throw on a scarf and go to my last class. If I am not feeling better by Friday I guess I'll man up and go to the doctor. Sheesh...

Moment of Truth

2009-12-01T12:57:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow is the big day. I will be taking my final exam in my Finnish class. I am confident that I will do well, and that I will pass, but I want to do better than well. I have been studying for a while now (and will continue to do so in January), and I really want all of my hard work to pay off. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow goes smoothly!!

Cute Little Old Ladies!!

2009-11-23T23:58:00.002+02:00

All of the apartments in our building are having the locks changed in 2 weeks. Tonight we got the new keys. I was at class this evening so Kai went to get ours. He ended up going at the same time as the little old lady that lives next to us. She is a sweetie and apparently sometime in the past we have spoken some words in passing. Come to find out she thought that my husband was the foreigner all this time. I heart you little old lady neighbor!

Cheers!

Put On Those Walking Shoes

2009-10-31T14:02:00.002+02:00

Sometimes I exercise and sometimes I don't. That's just how I am. My biggest problem is motivation and it probably always will be. I complain about my size and the hubby always tells me to do something about it, so I am going to give it (another) try. I just signed up on a site called Walker Tracker. It does pretty much what is says, it tracks how far you walk. It also keeps up with all of the info. that you plug into it and makes a graph of your progress. I don't know if I will accomplish anything by using this site, but I have a little pedometer and figured I might as well use it. I mean it can't hurt to try, right? You can also check out how other walkers are doing and they will help you motivate yourself as well. So here goes nothing. The site is free, and there is nothing to lose (except for a few pounds, I hope)!

Cheers!

Happy Halloween!!

Turku Castle

2009-10-23T13:56:00.003+03:00

Back in August, as you can tell by the date stamp, Kai and I went to visit my BIL and his wife. They bought a small apartment in a city named Turku because Meri (the wife) is going to the University there. It is a lovely city and I am look forward to going to back for another visit. Sami (BIL) took us to see the castle that was built there way back when while we were visiting with them. It is over 700 years old. It isn't as grand as castles you would find in France/Germany/GB, but it is impressive nonetheless. Just the fact that there are castles in Finland impressed me! They never actually had a royal family here, so it was interesting to learn about. According to Kai there are 2 or 3 castles here. This one was actually built on an island. As you can see from the pictures though it is now just another part of the mainland. The water receded a long time ago. I took too many pictures to post here on my blog, and I wouldn't know how to pick and choose between them. So those of you who are friends of mine of Facebook will have a chance to see them all next week because I am going to upload all of them there.

View from the back of the Castle.

View after you come in through the main gate.

View of the main gate/entrance.

The front/Entrance.

New Hair

2009-10-21T11:27:00.002+03:00

I went and had a haircut this morning (all by myself), and as promised I am posting the picture. Forgot to take a before shot, but imagine about 3 1/2 more inches and blonde hair and you'll have a mental image! It feels so much better having it cut. As much as I would like to grow my hair out, it is just too thin. Once it gets to be a certain length it starts to look 'stringy'. And once it gets to that point I chop it off. Thankfully my hair looks o.k. both short and long. So what do you think?

I just look so excited to be having my picture taken, huh?

Need to update!

2009-10-20T22:25:00.002+03:00

Whoa! I've been such a bad blogger!! I go way too long between posts. I promise to have a nice post tomorrow! I am going to get my hair cut, and I went dark for the Winter. So I promise pictures of the 'new' do! I am going to try really hard to remember to take a before picture. No promises there though.

Chilly Out

2009-10-12T14:18:00.002+03:00

Today is only the 12th of October and it is already cold enough to snow outside. I really wish I could sit inside all day and watch it. Unfortunately, I have to get ready for my class and go out in it!

The Sweetest Thing

2009-09-28T19:40:00.002+03:00

On the bus home from class this evening I was gazing out the window watching the world go by. O.K. that is every time I ride the bus. Anyway, at one of the stops I noticed this little old (ancient) man hurry up to the middle door where people exit the bus. I was wondering what he was doing until I saw him helping this tiny old (ancient) woman off the bus. Once he helped her get a safe distance from the bus he took her bag and her umbrella, then he gave her his arm and they waddled off together. It was the sweetest thing I had seen all day!

Wondering What Tomorrow Will Bring...

2009-09-15T13:33:00.002+03:00

I cannot believe how quickly this new Finnish course of mine is going to go. Yesterday we did some things in the 1h30mins that we didn't even get to until Finnish 2 of my last course. I am thinking that tomorrow will be sort of a refresher day. One that will let us expand upon what we were taught yesterday (I hope). The teacher isn't stingy with the homework either. She gave us plenty. I will do the written work tomorrow. It isn't going to take long at all. Right now I am just worrying about saying things out loud. That is my biggest issue anyway. So you know what? I am not really worried about what tomorrow will bring. I'll just find out when I get there and take it in stride. Today I am just going to focus on getting ready to go to the ooppera! Nope, I didn't spell opera wrong. I just used the Finnish spelling. For my birthday my husband bought me the best gift ever!! Tickets to go see The Marriage of Figaro. That is where we will be at 7 tonight. If anyone needs to find me just look on cloud 9!

Day 1

2009-09-14T14:09:00.001+03:00

Today I begin my new Finnish class at Helsinki University! Kai is even going to take me there! He is so sweet!! I hope that everything goes well.

Fall!!

2009-09-10T15:53:00.002+03:00

The weather is starting to cool off and I love it! This week I have noticed that the leaves on the birch trees are changing colors as well and they look lovely! My dad even sent me the cutest little Fall ornament for my birthday (last Saturday I turned 'old' according to the hubby!!)!! I suppose that means when I begin my new Finnish class next week I'll be making stops to the coffee house either on the way there, or on the way home!

Another Finnish Course

2009-08-18T11:23:00.003+03:00

My fabulous husband helped me register for a Finnish for Foreigners course which is offered at Helsinki University. Most students in the class will actually be enrolled in the university, but they offer remaining spots to people who would like to learn the language once everyone has finished enrolling. Luckily I got one of those places, and I couldn't be more excited. I took a Finnish course through the employment office but I have been told numerous times that it is not as good as the course offered at the university, and I am serious about learning this language. This class will only be 2 days a week as opposed to the 5 day a week course I took before, but there is a lot of independent work that goes along with it. It also gives you the opportunity to work on what you are learning and have it soak in before moving onto something else. My other course kept throwing new things at you everyday and I never felt like I truly understood something before we moved onto a new topic. So I am really looking forward to this new course!!

Love Cadbury!!

2009-07-24T12:07:00.002+03:00

I was in the WTC shop that sells American and British food items the other day and noticed that they sold Cadbury Creme eggs. I love Cadbury's! I was going to buy one because they are sold individually, until I noticed the price: 1,60 euros. That is the same as $2.27! I just couldn't force myself to buy just ONE egg for that price. So I walked away from that huge basket full of creme eggs, and have been craving them ever since!

Going To Watch My Brother Get Married!

2009-07-21T23:51:00.002+03:00

Got a CD with my brother's wedding on it in the mail today. The hubby and I couldn't be there for the actual occasion, so they sent us copy of it. He has been married a month yesterday. Congrats Adam! Thanks for the CD.

Because...

2009-07-21T10:44:00.002+03:00

The only thing better than one camel...

is two!

Thanks Selena! :-)

Going to the Zoo!!

2009-06-28T22:19:00.001+03:00

I am excited. I have been here for two years and have never been to the Finnish zoo. You have to take a little ferry boat to get there as it is on an island. Tomorrow when my younger SIL gets here we are going to go. I am really looking forward to it!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T19:01:00.002+03:00

Wish I could be at home to spend Father's Day with my dad, but I can't so I gave him a call! Kai and I also bought him a nice new Chap's shirt before we left. As you can see below, he just had to try it on and model it so I could take a picture! Love you dad! Happy Father's Day!

Going To The Chapel...

2009-06-20T21:11:00.002+03:00

Today my little brother is getting married! Congratulations!

Shedding Extra Pounds

2009-06-17T23:22:00.003+03:00

I am not going to make any excuses. I know that I have gained weight over the last 8 months and I know why. Winter here was brutal to me. I loved the snow, but when it is really cold outside I do not want to venture out into it. So I ate normally and gained weight because I didn't move around as much as I would have living back in good 'ole NC. That is just the way the cookie crumbles. Live in Finland, deal with Winter weight. Going back home for a visit was good for me, except for the fact that we decided to eat all of the things that we cannot get here in Helsinki (not all bad, there are tons of veggies that do not get imported here)! Needless to say I packed on a few more pounds because of it. I'm sure it didn't help that Kai and I were inviting all of our friends out to eat either. We counted it up and discovered that we ate out 23 times in 3 weeks. That is more than we eat out in a year here!!!! So you see I have gained some weight. Over the Winter I gained almost 13 pounds. Add that to the weight I gained while I was at home and the scales are telling me that I now weigh 138 pounds. To be honest, 138 is not a bad weight, but with my height it is very noticeable. SO, I have decided that I want get off at least the 13 pounds that was gained over the Winter. I have been walking more since I've been back (which has only been a week), and now I would like to buy myself a weighted hula hoop and a jump rope. Why? Because they are things that I find fun to do. I LOVE to hula hoop and I am quite good at it to boot. It is something that I can do while watching tv or listening to my mp3 player, and the same goes for the jump rope. I have found that I won't stick to something that I do not find fun, so I am changing my routine up a little. And why not? If it works it works! If it doesn't work I will still have fun!!

What Should I Write About?

2009-06-16T20:43:00.002+03:00

My hubby seems to think that I should blog more. He feels that whether or not I have anything to write about I should log on and come up with something anyway. He also seems to think that I should be more controversial. Hm...for the most part my blog is just ramblings to begin with. What more do you want from me man? Be specific!

Employment Office

2009-06-14T21:55:00.002+03:00

Tomorrow hubby and I will be heading over to the employment office to see what they have planned for me. If the electronic message they sent me was correct I should be getting money again after the 19th. So much for a big penalty. I will not be complaining!! I guess we'll find out for sure tomorrow. Right now I am still looking for Master's degree programs and language courses from the University. I would much rather go there for my classes. I feel like there I would be in a much better learning environment. I absolutely NEED structure!! I will take what I can get though.

On another note, hubby and I went and saw his parents today. His mom seems to be doing well a week after having her breast cancer surgery! The doctor said that things are looking good, and that as far as they can tell the cancer hasn't spread. We're just hoping that things will continue to go well for her.

Still haven't got my trip pictures on the computer, although I did manage to find my camera's usb cord. I have just been lazy. I think I am getting caught up on my sleep and will have more of an update sometime this week!

Cheers!

Updates Coming

2009-06-11T09:46:00.002+03:00

I am back from my trip to the U.S. (as of yesterday) and I have a ton of updating to do. I have a bunch of pictures from the trip and will upload them just as soon as I find my camera's usb cable.

Hello?! I'm in my Towel!!!

2009-05-15T20:08:00.002+03:00

Like every Friday evening I had my sauna, and it was very nice. I always feel really clean afterward. Who wouldn't, right? Today was a bit different though. On my way out of the sauna a man was coming in through the basement door (he looked to be in his late 40's/early 50's). This isn't unusual because lots of people use the basement door. People store their bikes, baby strollers, etc. there and you can also catch the elevator from down there. The different part is that this man began talking to me. He went on speaking about 500 miles a minute before I could stop him long enough to let him know that I could not speak Finnish that fast, and that I only understood a part of what he was saying. He thought about what I said for a minute, laughed it off, said he was sorry and then proceeded to speak in English. He told me that since I was the only one who took a sauna on Fridays that I might want to consider changing my day to Saturday because it would save energy. He knew that I was the only one who saunaed on Friday because he was the only other person who did, and he had already changed his day and time. Three times he told me that I was the only one that they were heating it for, and that I might want to think about it. I said that I would and went on my way. Now normally I wouldn't mind stopping to have a chat with one of my neighbors that lives on the A side of the building, but I was standing there in my towel dripping on the basement floor. I also know that nudity and whatever is not a big deal to Finns and most of them could care less about modesty, but I do not want to stand in my towel, having come straight from the sauna and carry on a conversation as to which day and time would be the best to take my sauna. You know where I live Mr. Man, it said so right on the list that was in the Sauna. You could have sent me a note!!! Please refrain from conversing with me when you see me in my towel! Now have a nice day!

Relief

2009-04-29T11:04:00.002+03:00

For the first time in a week I am beginning to feel better. This sickness that is going around has been a tough one to get over. I am still coughing a bit, but I don't sound like I am barking. I pretty much plan to relax around home again today. Tomorrow will be busy as it is Vapuu eve {Friday is Vapuu day (Finnish May Day)}, and my SIL will be flying in tomorrow evening. Needless to say, I have a week's worth of cleaning to catch up on. Everyone is gathering for my FIL's 60th birthday party on Saturday so we are going to be busy bees around here.

Not Much Swelling Left

2009-04-26T10:17:00.003+03:00

I woke up this morning, after a restless night of coughing, and noticed that most of the swelling in my face had gone away. I took some more of the anti-inflammatory meds that the doctor gave me yesterday in the hope that the rest of it will go away today (or tonight). I am still a bit itchy and want to scratch but I took some more of the atarax to stop that too. At least I no longer look like a botched plastic surgery patient. Progress is progress.

Also, Congratulations Amanda and Casey on the birth of you little boy! I believe that his name is James Gavin. The delivery was rough for both mom and baby, but both of them are at home and doing well now! :-)

I Need Claws!

2009-04-23T17:19:00.003+03:00

I am trying my best not to claw myself to death right now. Over night I had bumps that look like bug bites pop up on my head/hairline/neck/chest/bum and the corner of my eye. The ones on my head and forehead actually feel like knots! They itch like crazy. They supposedly came into being because I have been sick (still am) with a fever, headaches, stomach pain, sore throat and joint pain. Every 5 seconds my hubby keeps telling me to keep my fingers out of my head. I just have the urge to scratch and not stop. I could deal with being sick, but this itchiness has to go. I am taking benadryl but that doesn't do too much for it!!! What's a girl to do?!?

Edit: I tell you what, these dang knots/bumps spread quick! They are in my throat, on my legs and to top things off my knees are swollen! Not to mention I look like I am going through some really rough puberty the way they have taken over my face. I had two teeny tiny pimples on my face this morning, tonight I look like a pizza with extra pepperoni! Here's hoping that a good nights sleep helps!

Urg...

2009-04-22T09:12:00.003+03:00

My first actual day without classes, without having to go anywhere, and I am sick! Time to put on my small scarf and crawl back into bed. Maybe I will have a CSI: Miami marathon. I have about 5 episodes to catch up on.

I'm Going Home!

2009-04-08T21:31:00.003+03:00

That's right folks! Today Kai and I bought our tickets for our trip to the U.S.! I am so excited. We we'll be there from May 17th-June 9th, and we have a lot of ground to cover while we are there. We have so many people to see!!!! I hope we can do everything we have planned. On another happy note, today was my last actual day of classes. I have Easter break until Monday, a written test on Tuesday, a day off Wednesday, a speaking test of Thursday, my results on Friday, and an etäpäivä the 20th. That means I don't have to go to school that day, but I still get credit for it. After the 20th I will be counting down the days until we leave for the U.S.

4 More Years!

2009-04-04T11:15:00.002+03:00

After 6 months (and 1 week) of waiting, I am now an official resident of Finland for 4 more years. I got my new residence permit just a few days ago, and the picture that I have to carry around until 2012 years is HORRIBLE! I'm talking Charlize Theron in Monster horrible! I am legal though, and for that I am grateful. And now that I have my passport back, and Kai has his new passport, we can buy our tickets to the U.S.! I cannot wait to get home and visit some people! We also have some new people to meet! Kai and I are both excited about getting to finally meet Emma! Kai also gets to meet Cale (my best friend's little boy)! Of course I can't wait to see my family. It has been almost a year now since my last visit home, and I do miss them. Though I am not a very homesick person. I also want to shop! Finland is expensive, U.S.A. is cheap, enough said! Look out U.S.A. here we come!

White again!

2009-03-28T19:23:00.002+02:00

I woke up this morning to a snowstorm. Just when I think that the Winter is slowly coming to an end the Helsinki weather throws me a curveball. So far today we have accumulated 6 inches (maybe more). Not only that, but it is suppose to snow all day tomorrow as well. I haven't been out in it today because I just want to be warm for one entire day. I can never complain about not getting my fair share of snow!

Just A Little Wet

2009-03-22T11:59:00.002+02:00

It is the 22nd of March, and the snow here is finally beginning to melt. Slowly! It was nice to have around for a few months, but I am not sad to see it go. To be quite honest I am just ready to begin wearing sneakers again. My winter boots are not so bad, but there is only so long that you want to traipse around in them. The only downside to the melting snow is that it gets everything wet. And what does the water do? It gets the bottom of my pants wet, and I absolutely cannot stand it. Especially since the custom here (all year round) is to remove your shoes at the door when you enter someones home. Who enjoys walking around stepping on wet pants!!?? I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to enter a store and purchase a pair of jeans that are the perfect length. Until then...

No Translation Needed

2009-03-05T17:56:00.003+02:00

Looks like I won't have to have my degree translated after all because it is in English. This will save me loads of money. However I do still need my college transcript so that it can be compared with the Finnish degree standards. As long as I am not throwing a ton of money around for a little piece of paper I am happy!

Diploma Translation

2009-03-04T18:21:00.002+02:00

For things such as teaching jobs or Master's programs you need a degree. Well I have the degree, the problem is that it is not Finnish. This means I have to get it translated. That requires me obtaining a course list of all the classes I took at the University with there credit hours. So this afternoon when I got home from class I printed out a transcript request form. As far as I know that is the only way to get an official list of my courses and credit hours. At least I hope that it comes with the credit hours listed with the courses. I have honestly never really looked. They don't need my grades, but it looks like they will be getting them anyway. The list of courses is necessary to compare with what is taught here at the Universities to see if they are compatible. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to take any extra courses here. I would just like to get a job and begin taking graduate courses. The Finns are very serious about their education, but it sure is a hassle for me. Not to mention that it is 189 euros or more to get the silly thing translated!! I am sure it will be all worth it in the long run.

Kalevala Day

2009-02-28T12:17:00.002+02:00

Today is Kalevala Day here in Finland. The Kalevala is the National Epic (poem) of Finland. I have a copy of the book in English back in NC, and I have to admit that I have never read it. I will get around to it though (I promise, Kai). It seems to be a big deal for the Finnish people. In honor of Kalevala day my homework for the weekend has been 5 pages worth of work about it. Wikipedia has a nice little write up about it on their page if anyone is interested.

I think I might just pull out my hair!

2009-02-24T15:10:00.003+02:00

These are just a few examples of what has been driving me mad for the past 5 months. These links I am posting are what I was working on in my MediaTech class yesterday. Fun Stuff!!!

http://www2.edu.fi/ymmarrasuomea/index.php?moduli=tekstit&teksti=8

If you click on Käy nyt teksti läpi jakso kerrallaan ja vastaa tämän jälkeen monivalintatehtäviin after reading the above, you will be taken to the work page that we had to do after reading the story. There is even listening to go along with it if you want to hear how the spoken language sounds. It really just sounds like gibberish, but these crazy people understand one another!!

http://www.yle.fi/java/elearning2/$40zkuq7icpx9l5vntf5z/lesson/index.nvl?0.task=1026

http://www.yle.fi/java/elearning2/$11a6g4xqpdgqugf9j9qw/lesson/index.nvl?0.task=725

Cheers! :-)

Where can she be?

2009-02-19T20:20:00.001+02:00

I have been such a bad blogger here of late, and I sincerely apologize. I have been quite overwhelmed lately by my new course (Finnish Level 3) and work here at home. I do promise to be back more frequently after this coming weekend. Things should be more settled in my world by then!!

Cheers!

Snow and School

2009-01-29T23:29:00.006+02:00

I am one tired girlie. My Finnish classes are very mentally draining and by the time I get home in the evening I feel as though I could laydown anywhere and sleep for weeks! Thankfully I do not have school tomorrow. I have another reading day because I have a test on Monday and Tuesday. I am nervous about them, but I think I will do fairly well on the Monday portion. Not quite so confident about the speaking portion on Tuesday.

Classes, tests, and tiredness aside...I have been loving the snow. Since moving to Finland I have learned what a real Winter is suppose to feel (and look) like. And nothing is ever closed for the snow. Not even school. These kids here do not know the meaning of snow days!

My apartment building

The backyard...part of it

Across the street

It snowed for 3 more days after I took these pictures. So we have plenty of it. And I LOVE it!!!

Neglectful!

2009-01-20T15:33:00.002+02:00

I have been so busy with school and house work that I have had no time for blogging. Although I have been neglecting my blog, I have been able to keep up with what is going on in the blogosphere thanks to Bloglines! It is a convenient site. Anyway, so as not to feel too neglectful, I thought I would share something that happened to someone else today. I was a witness of course. How could I not be?!? I ride the bus everyday to and from class, and today a very careless little boy (looked to be about 11 years old) was running towards the road and was looking behind him at the same time. Real smart, huh? Well he happens to finally look where he is going when he is just maybe a foot away from my moving bus. Poor thing (careless thing) runs right smack-dab into the side of my bus. The bus driver stopped the bus and got out to check on him, but he made a horribly loud sound when he collided with the side of Bus 52. Thankfully he is ok, nothing was broken but he did have the air knocked out of him. I guess that'll teach him to watch where he is going from now on, and also not to run towards the road!!!

Teenage girls all around!

2009-01-03T13:51:00.002+02:00

My husband actually went with me to see the new Twilight movie last night. Needless to say the opening night had a packed house. The theater we were in seats 703 people, and I am pretty sure all but 4 of those seats were occupied by overly excited teenage girls! They even clapped for the movie as the ending credits rolled. Ah...teenagers. Though you do not have to be a teen or tween girl to enjoy this movie. My husband said that even he was pleasantly suprised by it. Of course I liked it. It followed the book pretty close, and that is a big deal for me. I am not much into these movies that just go off on their own and leave me screaming, "that's not what happened in the book!" So I guess I am a little bit excited that they are making the sequel to it. And I admit, the lead character is kind of a cutie. Though I am not obsessed with him I can definitely understand why all of these teen girls swoon whenever they see him. Hm...maybe I should go watch it again?! :-)

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T18:38:00.003+02:00

Just wanted to wish all of you out there in the blogosphere a very Happy New Year!! God Bless!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T16:32:00.001+02:00

I hope that everyone is having a very Merry Christmas, and that you all will have an awesome New Year! God Bless!

Christmas is almost here!!!

2008-12-18T16:03:00.003+02:00

I can't believe that Christmas is just next week! It really snuck up on me this year. Probably because I have been a busy bee with school and all. Oh, and I passed my first Finnish Level 2 test! Hooray! Aside from passing the most difficult test I have ever taken, Kai and I finished up our Christmas shopping today. I am so glad. Almost every year we are buying something last minute, and I absolutely freak out because I am afraid I am going to leave someone out. This year we made a list and checked it about 100 times! No one is left out...not even my family back in the States! All of my Christmas cards were posted a few days ago so they should be arriving at their destinations about Monday. So all that is left for me to do is wrap all the goodies we bought!!! :-) That and relax! Tomorrow we are having a small party at my school, and then tomorrow night we're having another class party in the city center. So I am looking forward to some much needed fun out on the town!

Cheers!

Hyvää Hääpäivää!

2008-12-12T20:10:00.003+02:00

Today my husband and I have been married for 2 whole years! WOW! Good for us! Happy Anniversary Kai! Minä rakastan sinua!

Also, Happy Birthday Dad! Or as they say here in Finland, Hyvää Syntymäpäivää! I hope that you and Grandma have a good day finishing your Christmas shopping! Love you both!

Hyvää Itsenäisyyspäivää!!

2008-12-06T22:38:00.002+02:00

Happy Independence Day, Finland! December 6, 1917 :-) You are 91 years young as an independent country. Of course they were really governing themselves long before that. So bring on the boring televised party where we all get to watch the president shake hands with people for two hours! It really is boring, but these Finnish people watch it. Monday everyone will be discussing who looked fashionable and who looked disasterous. And my friends that will probably be the highlight of the entire week. I kid you not! :-) Gotta love the Finns! I know I do!

Getting to Know Your Friends - Christmas Edition!

2008-11-23T14:31:00.003+02:00

OK, so I decided not to do this as an e-mail, but to post it here on my blog. I've been at a loss lately for things to write about, and since Christmas is one of my favorite holidays I thought this might start getting me in the Christmas spirit!

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire email and paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you......Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I utilize both depending on the gift!

2. Real tree or Artificial? I am actually allergic to the real ones, but we're having a live tree this year. In the U.S. we normally have an artificial one though.

3. When do you put up the tree? The day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after New Years!

5. Do you like eggnog? I do! I prefer the Land O'Lakes bought brand!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? That would probably have to be my Barbie Dream House and 57' Chevy Convertible! I think it was my brother's fave too, but for different reasons. He would prop my barbies up in the house and then shoot at them with his Ninja Turtle Pizza Thrower!!!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My husband is by far the most difficult person I have to buy for! And you can never get him to tell you what he would like either! Talk about frustrating!

8. Easiest person to buy for? My Dad is most definitely the easiest person on my Christmas list. His gifts involve a trip to Lowe's Home Improvement store! A bonus really because I love most everything in that store myself!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both! I will take cards anyway I get them. Of course I always buy a ton of cards and mail them off to everyone I know!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I really don't know. I usually love everything that I get!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas is a must watch, and then of course all of the old Christmas cartoon movies like Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snow Man..and etc. are also on my to watch list!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I started today actually! I've been online shopping for my family in the U.S. all day, almost!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My Grandmother's Chicken and dressing! Yum!

16. Lights on the tree? Of course! We use colored lights one year and then white the next.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Don't make me choose!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? These days I do both, but there is nothing like being all cozy at home for Christmas!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen! And of course you can't exclude Rudolph, the most famous reindeer of all!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We do both..just depends what we're in the mood to use!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Here in Finland you open your gifts of Christmas Eve and visit on Christmas day. At home in the U.S. though my family opens gifts on Christmas day!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Last minute shopping! You can never find what you need when you need it!

23. What theme or color are you using? It just depends on what decorations we want to use!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Traditional meal shared with my family!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Just to be with my family having a nice time! I don't really need things. I never ask for anything.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Probably someone who wants to take a Christmas survey!

27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Someone who doesn't want to take a Christmas Survey?!?